If your heart’s in the Scottish Highlands, come discuss Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander in this, its 25th year. This series of novels and shorter works features elements of historical fiction, romance, mystery, adventure, and science fiction/fantasy. It has spawned a Starz TV series, a graphic novel, and a 14-part song cycle. If you loved the books, how do you think the series is faring? Maybe your introduction to Outlander was through the TV series. How do these two perspectives differ?

Aesop, Charles Perrault, and the Brothers Grimm have much to answer for. Their fairy tales are integral to the European cultural heritage, and they’ve spawned novels, films, and TV shows in vast numbers. Why are their stories so compelling? Why do we keep going back to these old collections?

More and more often we see elements of new media being incorporated into fiction. Sometimes using new media in fiction is #awesome! and other times it’s just #FAIL. Is new media in fiction just a fad? There’s an art to doing it well. What stories are good examples? When does it go wrong? Where might new media take us in the future of fiction?

Podcasting gives us an outlet to share our thoughts and ideas with the world, and everyone seems to have something (perhaps a lot) to say. But is podcasting right for everyone? How do you go about “bootstrapping” a podcast? What do you need and what do you need to know? How do you attract and keep an audience? Where do you find a place to host your site? Successful ‘casters pass on their secrets.

Kapow! Live from Boskone … enjoy the knock-out stylings of our program participants and audience members who share their open mic skills in the first-ever Superhero Open Mic. Each person gives his/her best 5-minute superhero performance – story, poem, song, skit, interpretive dance, or whatever! OPTIONAL: For extra appeal, feel free to come dressed as a superhero!

The Rules: Boskone members are invited to join our participants in the open mic by signing up for one of the eight open slots at the door to the event, which opens for sign-ups at 8:30 pm. Each performer is given a firm 5-minute time limit (max), including set-up time. So a quick transition between acts is key.

Walter and Ken will open the event by quickly reminding everyone about the rule: 5-minute maximum per person, each performance must include superheroes in some way, a quick transition between performers, and a live demonstration of the “over time” buzzer. They will trade off introducing each performer and will use the person’s real name matched up with a fake bio that they create, example: “Just off her successful tour of the Moons of Deneb IV, where she instigated a minor border war with a single song, please welcome…” There will be a double mic stand – with a lower-down mic to accommodate a guitar or other instrument and an upper mic for vocals. There will also be a buzzer to alter people when they go over…and have to stop. There will be a sign up sheet at the door for members to sign up for the 8 open slots. We will look into decorating the room, if possible. Erin and Brenda will be on hand to make sure things go smoothly.

Poetry Within Fantasy & Science Fiction

Sunday 10:00 – 10:50, Harbor III (Westin)

Fantasy and science fiction literature often samples snatches of song or poetry within its pages. But where does one look for original poetry that’s wholly focused on dragons and aliens, magic and deep space? Which writers are also fine versifiers? What inspires them? How do they decide whether an idea is better delivered in prose or poetry?